K9Aids – OLD DOGS ROCK CLUB

This handsome old dude was rescued from the Phuket stray dog pound, he was in very bad shape when found in April. He appeared completely healthy except for a very large superficial wound on his backside, but it ended up, he was riddled with major issues to his old age heart, lungs & kidney.

Poor old guy has a major sneezing, coughing & snorting problem. After 2 months of anti-biotics to clear up the infection he’s now feeling a lot better, but is constantly still snorting & finds it very difficult to breathe normally. His butt wound has healed up completely & he’s had his teeth cleaned last week ( which smells a lot better ) & he would now make a loverly cuddly old bear like companion to someone who is not to physical. He just likes to go for a slow amble around the block every second day & chill out in front of the fan keeping cool.

While a home is being looked for this old guy is happy where is as & the “Old Dogs Club” will be there to look after him…

It is a rare to see an old dog in a temple in Thailand. Temple dogs live an average of roughly five years and the first year is the most difficult to survive. Abuse, malnourishment, disease and road accidents are the most common threats to their longevity. So it is always a pleasure for Hand to Paw to find and care for any old dogs that reside in any of our temples. We are already beating the odds with the care we provide to have dogs upward of 6 years of age in many of our temples now.
Nin is the oldest dog in our care and she tips the scales at 13 years of age. I met a young 20 year old man one day at the temple who expressed to me that he has known her since he was 7 years old! Nin is a carefree and perky gal. Her toothless smile and black tongue brings an instant smile to my face every time I see her…which is actually quite often. Nin suffers from chronic conjunctivitis in both eyes and reoccurring skin afflictions which require daily or bi-daily care.
When I first met Nin her eyes were sealed shut from caked on mucous and she was itching herself like a mad dog due to her very bad case of demodec mange, fungal and bacterial skin infections! How long she had been in this condition I will never know. She was receiving no treatment at all and although she is beloved by monks at the temple they were oblivious to her suffering.
It has been two years since I first met Nin. We have formed a very strong bond as I now go to the temple every other day or often times every day to clean her eyes, apply eye drops, needed meds and whatever other treatment is necessary to keep her coat healthy and her skin itch-free…a constant battle.
Nin’s treatment cost roughly 100 baht/ USD 3.00 to treat every month; a small price to pay, but a large price in time and commitment, but we feel our oldies are special and worth it – it is one of our many missions to make the last years of their lives carefree and free from suffering. As a new member of the K9Aid Old Dogs Rock Club she will have all her needs paid for. – Joy Huss, Founder – Hand to Paw temple Dog Outreach

I first met Bur (“Number” in Thai) five years ago when Hand to Paw first offered their services and care to the dogs at Wat Suan Nawaa. Bur was the matriarch of a pack of 10 dogs. Bur was personally introduced to me by Luang Por Thep, I could tell she held a special place in his heart as she was one of the only two survivors of a mass poisoning during a robbery that killed seven of his beloved temple dogs.

I was surprised to meet one of my very first “older” dogs that survived this long in a temple environment. I instantly knew the reason was that the head Abbot loved his dogs above all else and he even told me “they were the only ones he could really trust”!

It was only after a few temple visits  I noticed that although Bur was an old dog showed signs of a very  old dog. She appeared; lethargic, eating little and showing eye problems. I knew little at this time about the common, deadly and crippling effects of blood parasites on temple dogs. Bur was one of my first cases.

Over the course of several months Bur regained her health, but a secondary effect of the disease caused glaucoma in both of her eyes. This is a very painful eye affliction for dogs who cannot express their pain. The pain is similar to a constant migraine headache – dogs show their pain by becoming quiet and withdrawn. She had only about 10% vision remaining in both her eyes.

Over the next two years a large portion of our meager funds were spent on taking Bur to an eye specialist one hour’s drive from the temple every month and paying for her costly eye medications. She required 2 types of eye drops daily that Luang Por Thep had to administer. After two years her eye health deteriorated to the point that both eyes had to be removed. From that day Bur’s life began anew. Pain fee and 100% healthy this 10+ year old dog can now be found roaming the temple grounds, climbing stairs or lounging the day away. Bur is a Hand to Paw doggie favorite amongst the volunteers and students. Young people are amazed to learn about the other more important senses of a dog: their nose and ears! She is an intrigue to them and everyone wants to give her a little pats as if to wish her well. The elderly temple & street dogs of Thailand need a little support to help them live their final years in peace and pain free.

– Joy Huss, Founder – Hand to Paw temple Dog Outreach